WETHERLY [R.S.] Mr. JOHN CHESTER. This living had been sequestered some years before he came to it, from a non-preaching parson, whose curate, at the Restoration, produced a dormant title to it. This was reckoned the most wicked town in all the county; so that several ministers said they would not have accepted of the living, had it been offered them, upon any terms. But by Mr. Chester's industry in preaching, catechizing, and daily visiting from house to house, (things unknown to these people before) several of them were brought to a considerable knowledge, and a lively sense of religion, so as to delight in the exercises of it. In consequence of his great usefulness, he had the general love of the people, both in town and neighbourhood. He was not, however, free from opposition and trouble. One person being some way disgusted, took up a resolution that he would hear him no more. But coming once to church, on the report of a stranger's preaching, he was ashamed to go out, when Mr. Chester came into the pulpit; and it pleased God so to convince him by that sermon, that he ever after proved as true a friend as any in the parish. There were two other persons, the one an ordinary weaver, and the other a mean farmer, who, upon the turn of the times, discovered their malice, and took an oath before a bench of justices, that he prayed against the king, about the time of Worcester fight, naming a particular day. But it so happened, that Mr. Chester was then at London; aud Mr. Doughty, who that day supplied his place, made oath that he did so, which all the parish confirmed, to the shame of those who had sworn so falsely against him.

After the Restoration, Mr. Bucknall, who laid claim to the living, came to take possession of it with the greatest violence and fury imaginable. Mr. Chester being from home, he demanded entrance into the parsonage-house, and the servants denying it, he fetched a smith's sledge and broke open the door, and not only turned them out, but threw out what goods he pleased into the street, and kept the rest. On Mr. Chester's demanding them, he told him, that if he went to law for them, he would swear him out of his life. † Upon this Mr. Chester removed to London. The people at Weatherby were loth to lose so good and useful a man, as well as

+ Dr. Calamy relates some other things of this Bucknall, which shew him to have been a very bad man, but which are better omitted.

much troubled at his meeting with such usage, and parteď from him with many tears. He preached once every Lord'sday for Mr. Jenkyn, at Christ church, till the Act of uniformity took place, and continued in London all the time of the plague, when he was instrumental to the good of many souls. Mr. Baxter gives him the character of "a man of a very sober, calm, peaceable spirit; sound in doctrine and life; and a grave and fruitful preacher." He often made excursions into several parts of Surrey, but his settled abode was in Southwark, where, in the latter part of his life, he preached statedly at a meeting house in Gravel-lane, near St. George's fields. Under some illness, he retired to his son's, a physician at Guildford, where he died in May, 1696.

WHATTON (Long) [R. 150/.] SAMUEL SHAW, M. A. Of St. John's Col. Camb. He was born of religious parents at Repton in Derbyshire, in 1635, and educated at the freeschool there, then the best in that part of England. He went to the university at fourteen years of age, where he was chamber-fellow with Dr. Morton. When he had compleated his studies, he went to Tamworth in Warwickshire, and was usher in the free-school in 1656. When that reverend person Mr. Blake died, in 1657, Mr. Shaw spoke an eloquent oration at his funeral, after Mr. Anthony Burgess had preached a sermon. They were both printed, and such as have perused them must think a conjunction of three such men, as the deceased and the two speakers, a singular happiness to that neighbourhood. From Tamworth Mr. Shaw removed to Mosely, a small place in the borders of Worcestershire, being invited by Col. Greavis, who shewed him much kindness. On his coming hither, he was ordained by the classical presbytery at Wirksworth; and by the assistance of Mr. Gervas Pigot of Thrumpton, he obtained a presentation from the Protector to the rectory of Long-Whatton, which was in the gift of the crown. He had full possession of this place in June, 1658, and continued in the peaceable enjoyment of it, till 1660. Fearing some disturbance, in the month of September that year, he got a fresh presentation * under the great seal of England, without much difficulty, as the former incumbent Mr. Henry Robinson was dead, and two more who enjoyed it after him. But tho' his title was thus corro

* Copies of both these presentations may be seen in Calamy,

borated, Sir John Prettyman, by making interest with the lord chancellor, found means to remove Mr. Shaw, about a year before the Act of uniformity passed; and introduced one Mr. Butler, who had no manner of title to the place. He was a man of such mean qualifications, and so little respected in the parish, that some of them told Sir John, that they heard Mr. Butler had given him a pair of coach-mares to get him the living, but they would give him two pair to get him out, and put Mr. Shaw in again. But he now quitted the church, as he could not satisfy himself to conform to the new terms. He was afterwards offered this living without any other condition than Re-ordination. But he used to say, He would not lie to God and man, in declaring his presbyterian ordination invalid.

When he left Whatton he removed to Cotes, a small village near Loughborough. Here his family caught the plague of some relations, who came from London to avoid it, about harvest-time in 1665, He then preached in his own house, and afterwards published that excellent book, called The Welcome to the Plague, grounded on Amos iv. 12, Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.' He buried two children, two friends, and one servant of that distemper; but he and his wife survived it; and not being ill both at once, they looked after one another and the rest of the family: which was a great mercy, for none durst come to his assistance. He was in a manner shut up for three months, and was forced not only to attend his sick, but to bury his dead himself in his own garden. §

Towards the latter end of the year 1666, he removed to Ashby de la Zouch in the same county; and was chosen to be the sole master of the free-school in 1668. The revenue was then but small, the school-buildings quite out of repair, and the number of scholars few. But by his diligence he soon got the salary augmented, not only for himself, but his successors; and by his interest with several gentlemen, he procured money for the building of a good school-house, and a gallery for the scholars in the church. But then he had another difficulty; which was, how to get a licence without subscription to such things as his conscience did not allow of.

The excellent temper of mind which he expressed under this severe dispensation, is discovered in the work above mentioned, which was reprinted in 1767. An extract from it may be seen in his Memoirs, prefixed to a new. edition of his Immanuel, 1763. The memoirs are taken from Calamy.